1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to new and useful improvements in surgical procedures for opening a space or cavity in a human body.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
In the medical literature, surgical creation of a space, cavity or pocket, in the human body, e.g., subglandular or in the submuscular location, involves two basic techniques, each technique utilizing two skin incisions. The two techniques are the blunt dissection and the sharp dissection technique.
The blunt dissection technique, in breast surgery, involves gaining access to the breast through a skin incision. The surgeon then identifies the location (subglandular or submuscular) and, using a finger or other blunt surgical instrument, the breast is bluntly separated from the pectoralis muscle fascia (to create the subglandular pocket) or the pectoralis major muscle is bluntly separated from the chest wall (to create the submuscular pocket). The blunt dissection technique is usually done "blindly" not under direct vision.
The sharp dissection technique involves gaining access to the breast through a skin incision. The surgeon then uses a knife, scissors, electrocautery, or laser to dissect the subglandular or submuscular pocket. The sharp dissection technique is almost always done under direct vision.
The blunt dissection technique generally causes more bleeding and bruising, and after blunt dissection may surgeons will then use direct vision and cautery or laser to control any blood vessels that are bleeding.
Many surgeons will also use a combinations of the blunt dissection and sharp dissection techniques to create the pocket for the implant devices.
In Johnson U.S. Pat. No. 5,250,072, a tissue dissection is made to form a pocket for receiving an breast implant in which an incision is made into the body and a hollow tissue expander is inserted and expanded to dissect tissue.